Drones join the delivery race.

For Vietnamese UAV businesses to participate deeply in this field, mechanisms and policies that keep pace with the rapid development of technology are needed.

On the morning of January 5th, a pilot program for applying unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to delivery operations in Ho Chi Minh City was officially launched, with controlled deployment within the Ho Chi Minh City High-Tech Park (SHTP). The program is a collaboration between the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Science and Technology, the SHTP Management Board, and a group of technology companies including Saolatek, Real-time Robotics Vietnam, and Di Dong Viet.

A crucial turning point

This activity is part of the controlled testing (sandbox) program for new unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology solutions, implemented according to Resolution No. 20/2024/NQ-HĐND of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Council.

Attending the event were Deputy Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Dang Minh Thong, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Nguyen Manh Cuong, along with representatives from relevant departments, agencies, and units.

In the first test flight, the UAV developed by Saolatek carried a package containing an iPhone 17, flying approximately 200 meters within the test area. The device took off, flew, and landed completely automatically according to a pre-programmed route.

According to Mr. Tran Anh Tuan, Director of Saolatek, all flight coordinates and parameters are displayed online in real time, and images from the 5G camera mounted on the UAV are transmitted to the monitoring center. The UAV lands precisely at the delivery point, completes its mission, and then returns to the landing zone near its departure point.

"The drone being tested can lift a 12 kg payload, fly for 40 minutes, and has an operating radius of over 10 km. This product could be sold for 100 million VND, much cheaper than similar products currently available worldwide ," Mr. Tuan added.

In the next flight, the UAV, operated by Real-time Robotics Vietnam, faced a more complex scenario, flying over 400 meters and carrying three packages containing phone components, a first-aid kit, and three cups of coffee. During the same flight, the device sequentially approached and delivered the packages at multiple points in a predetermined order, before returning safely to its takeoff point.

Mr. Pham Huynh Quang Hieu, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Science and Technology, said that this pilot program is a concrete step in realizing the policy of building Ho Chi Minh City into a leading innovation, science and technology center of the country.

"The successful program will lay an important foundation for future application expansion. Hopefully, we will be able to conduct longer-distance flights from Can Gio to Vung Tau, helping to shorten delivery times within the new city as early as the first quarter of this year," Mr. Hieu expected.

Mr. Tran Anh Tuan believes that being able to conduct legal testing through the sandbox mechanism has created a significant turning point for domestic UAV businesses. Thanks to the sandbox, Saolatek successfully deployed fully automated UAV flights for the first time, connecting to 5G infrastructure, thereby resolving the biggest "bottleneck" of lacking legal testing space. "With real-world testing, businesses can generate data, have a basis for applying for licenses, and move towards commercializing their products," Mr. Tuan said.

Ho Chi Minh City leaders and officials from various departments and agencies inspect the UAV before its test flight.

More mechanisms from the State are needed.

Citing the potential flight route from Can Gio to the Ba Ria - Vung Tau area, Mr. Tuan stated that traveling by road or waterway could take many hours, or even be interrupted by weather, while UAVs only take about 20-30 minutes to transport goods. With current UAV models, carrying a payload of 3-4 kg, the flight time is approximately 40 minutes; in the near future, with lighter and higher-capacity batteries, the flight time could reach up to 1 hour, meeting many urban needs. However, to develop UAVs strongly and achieve breakthroughs, what businesses need most now is not just policy but actual orders from the State and Ho Chi Minh City.

Initially, this could involve research and development (R&D) contracts for urban solutions such as planning, mapping, port and river security monitoring, and emergency response; later, it could involve ordering complete service packages or solutions, instead of just purchasing equipment. "These orders will be a leverage to help businesses generate cash flow for R&D investment, improve products, and expand into international markets, while also helping Vietnam master UAV technology," Mr. Tuan expects.

Dr. Luong Viet Quoc, founder of Real-time Robotics Vietnam, emphasized that the biggest challenge for Vietnam's UAV industry is creating products that are sufficiently differentiated to compete and sell in the international market. Without technological advancements, businesses will find it very difficult to survive, even in the domestic market. Another major obstacle is the economic viability of an urban environment.

Currently, motorbike delivery in Ho Chi Minh City costs 40,000 - 50,000 VND per order, taking about 2-3 hours. Meanwhile, UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) are almost impossible to deliver to small alleys due to tangled power lines or other factors, and the cost could be many times higher, along with strict safety requirements, making them uncompetitive in terms of price. "UAVs are only truly effective on specific routes, such as transporting goods from Can Gio to the center of Ho Chi Minh City, reducing delivery time from over 2 hours to 15-20 minutes, suitable for urgent or high-value goods," Mr. Quoc said.

Based on this reality, Mr. Luong Viet Quoc suggested that the State should play the role of the primary customer for UAV businesses, through specific technology orders. Initially, orders could be placed for UAVs to serve search and rescue operations, security surveillance, disaster prevention, and environmental monitoring, instead of just stopping at testing.

In addition, investment is needed to develop infrastructure for managing UAV flight space, similar to air traffic control, including real-time flight identification, monitoring, and coordination systems – an area where the private sector struggles to develop independently. "A phased funding policy is needed, ranging from R&D funding for startups to public procurement for businesses that have demonstrated international competitiveness, to help Vietnamese UAVs gradually integrate into the global value chain," Dr. Quoc shared.

Professor Nguyen Ky Phung, Head of the SHTP Management Board, pledged to continue proposing improvements and implementing sandbox mechanisms to provide businesses with safe space for flight testing and technology refinement; and to support closer product connections with city departments, domestic and international partners to solve specific problems related to transportation, environment, and planning. "SHTP will act as a bridge to help businesses access venture capital funds, preferential capital sources, and support for science and technology development in the city as early as possible. The 'low-level economy' is projected to bring billions of USD and hundreds of thousands of jobs to Vietnam in the next decade," Professor Phung affirmed.

Innovation is the key driving force.

According to Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Nguyen Manh Cuong, the city is building an innovation ecosystem with centers at the Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, SHTP, and the central area, connecting a network of research institutes and universities. The city identifies science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation as key drivers for Ho Chi Minh City to achieve high growth targets in the coming period.

Explosion

The global logistics industry is undergoing a dramatic transformation as the US and China simultaneously accelerate the application of drones in real-world applications.

In the US, since 2024, Walmart has partnered with Wing and Zipline, extending drone delivery services to over 30 towns and cities in the Dallas-Fort Worth area (Texas), reaching 1.8 million households, equivalent to 75% of the local population. Customers receive their orders in less than 30 minutes, offering exceptional convenience.

Amazon Prime Air has also made significant progress with approval from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), allowing drones to fly further without direct observation. The service is currently rolling out in College Station, Texas, and expanding to West Valley, Phoenix, Arizona, with the new MK30 drone model: compact, 50% quieter, flies twice as far, and operates reliably in light rain.

Meanwhile, in China, Shenzhen is systematically realizing the concept of a "low-level economy." According to data from the Shenzhen government, by September 2025, the total accumulated orders of Meituan Technology Group had exceeded 600,000, indicating a surge in demand for this service, not just a trial run.

Unlike the home delivery model in the US, Meituan focuses on public places and high-density residential areas. The process is highly automated; customers order through the app, drones fly to the designated location and drop off the goods into smart lockers, and users simply scan the code to retrieve their order.

Not content with daytime operations, Meituan continues to push the boundaries of time by officially launching its drone delivery service at night. This move not only optimizes the operational efficiency of its fleet but also meets the urgent needs of people for medicine and food during hours when traditional delivery services are often limited.

X. Mai

Source: https://nld.com.vn/drone-gia-nhap-cuoc-dua-giao-hang-196260105214612245.htm